Book was average good and I did like the banter between the two main characters, but it had so much promise and just fell a little flat for me. The book was a little too slow for my liking and it made it seem like a chore to get into. I know there are many readers that will love this one though! 3 stars

I was absolutely sold when I saw folklore/mythology and time travel in the description, but The Gods Time Forgot fell flat for me. I think it was more of me and not finding my groove whilst reading the story because I found it hard to follow. I didn’t connect with it as I hoped but still a solid writing debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for a chance to read and give a honest review an advanced copy of this book.

Happy release week to The Gods Time Forgot, the debut novel by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez. Set in New York during the Gilded Age, this novel opens with Rua awakening with amnesia. The people around her claim she’s Emma Harrington, daughter of a local wealthy family, but she’s certain she’s not. As Rua navigates the season in Manhattan, she’s trying to uncover the truth behind her identity and why she’s here. She’s also drawn to Finn, the Lord of Donore, an Irish man working his way up in society. Is there a connection there? What does he know of her past?

Why I Chose This Book:
I was excited to read a book drawn from Irish mythology, and the mystery surrounding Rua had my interested piqued. It’s also set in the 1870s, which is contemporary with many of the historical romances I enjoy. Here, it’s set in New York rather than England, making the setting feel fresh.

What I Liked:
- Rua is such a fun character! She’s temperamental and can’t be bothered to play nice with 1870s society. She’s strong-willed… a good match for her cold-hearted “mother,” Flossie.
- Finn! He’s conflicted, to be sure, but at his heart he’s a good person who just wants to help others, from orphans to people in fires to Rua when she’s bullied by everyone.
- Memory loss, mysteries, and hints of magic. For most of the book, we don’t really know what’s going on. Who is Rua and how did she get here? What happened to Emma? Are these hellmouths real? Does Rua have magical abilities? And what is this faint connection between Rua and Finn? We’re all in the dark until the last 20% or so.
- Feminism and critique of upper classes. Rua regularly fights against the restrictions and rules she faces as a woman. Finn simultaneously seems to dislike the wealthy, even if he wants to use his growing wealth to help those less fortunate.
- Irish mythology. Much about this isn’t revealed until late in the book, but I loved the nods to Irish legend and culture.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Is Rua a likable character in the end? Does she deserve a second chance?
- The ending still leaves some questions unanswered. I didn’t find it rushed, exactly, but I was hoping for a bit more explanation on some things.

Final Thoughts
The Gods Time Forgot is a thoughtful and mysterious novel that will keep you guessing until the end. It’s marketed as a romantasy, though it’s more subtle than most romantasies being published now. Even so, if you like the hint of magic and a forbidden romance set in the Gilded Age, with a thread of Irish mythology woven throughout, this is an engrossing read. I look forward to reading more from Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez.

The Gods Time Forgot by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez is a historical romantasy set in 1870s New York City, blending Irish mythology with the opulence of the Gilded Age. The narrative follows Rua, who awakens with amnesia, inhabiting the life of Emma, a young woman previously ostracized for her dabbling in magic. As Rua navigates high society's expectations, she encounters Finn, an Irish lord with his own enigmatic past, leading to a complex relationship filled with tension and discovery.

However, I had some issues with the plot's pacing and depth. The beginning felt engaging but then it slowed down a lot. I liked the idea of it being set in a different time and world than most romantasy books.

In summary, The Gods Time Forgot offers a unique fusion of historical romance and fantasy elements.

3.75 rounded up

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

To be so honest, I have no idea why it took me so long to read this. I got the arc in october (OCTOBER) and only just finished it two days after release which I am very sorry for.

I’ve found it hard to form a concrete opinion on this one. I read the last 45% in one sitting and I did enjoy what I was reading. The ending built a great tension until the last chapter, which felt anticlimactic to me. I also really enjoyed the atmosphere of golden age new york and the restraints that came with the social code of the time, but similarly, it bothered me how repetitive things started to get with Rua acting out and Flossie’s lack of social awareness. I think the premise is fascinating, I just wish that their memories were more of a thing before the last 20% of the book. The two leads had good chemistry, although it definitely felt a little insta-love in the beginning, which I was only able to forgive because of the indications that they’d known each other in a previous life. I appreciated some of the foreshadowing, but I think my biggest issue with this book lies first in the pacing, which felt uneven, and second in how unbelievable Finn was as a character. He’s saving orphans, running into fires, etc, with a frequency that made it difficult to suspend my disbelief. All of this too and needing money to help his charities is why the charade with Annette must continue (this back and forth and societal pressure was my favorite part of the book save for the moments of miscommunication) but then at the end he just gives it all up without a second thought. That part of his characterization felt a little underdeveloped to me.

Now I don’t mean for this review to be negative. I did enjoy this book. I found the line level writing to be good, the characters to be mostly likable, and this was one of those books that, even if I wasn’t enjoying things, I found myself thinking about it and wanting to read it, so that’s something. It’s also possible that, had I read this at a different time, I would’ve had more concrete or positive opinions. I would definitely give this a read, it is worth it, especially if you like the setting and the amnesia trope.

Apologies for such an inconsistent and non-concrete opinion, but alas that’s what comes to mind at the moment.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was just okay for me. I loved the romance aspect, the banter between the FMC and MMC was great, but as for the plot/writing in general, I just feel like something was off for me.

The Gods Time Forgot delivers good world-building, chemistry, and plot steeped in mythology. I will always love a morally gray character and loads of banter. My only issue was that some pacing felt uneven, but it didn't take away from the overall thrill. Perfect for fans of historical fantasy.

This sounded like everything I’d love in a book: Irish mythology, Gilded Age New York, and a historical romantasy with forbidden romance, mystery, and intertwined fates. The thing I was most excited for was the Irish mythology, but it was hardly present. It was primarily a historical fiction book with a little bit of romance. Most of the storyline was repetitive and centered on Rua going to balls, her acting out against the strict societal norms of the time, and being ostracized by mean girl socialites. The romance between Finn and Rua didn’t really have a foundation, and was too insta-lovey for me. I needed more development and time spent together for their love story to be believable, especially since they were star-crossed fated soulmates. It had so much promise, but it just did not come together like I was hoping. I wanted a fantasy/romantasy set in New York, and this just wasn’t that.
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My rating: ⭐️⭐️
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Read if you like:
▫️historical fantasy
▫️Irish mythology
▫️gilded age New York
▫️previous life and forgotten memories
▫️forbidden love
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Thank you to Alcove Press, Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Overall, The Gods Time Forgot offers an engaging read for those who appreciate historical settings infused with mythological intrigue, despite some pacing issues and a conclusion that may leave readers wanting more.

I tried so hard to read this book and love it, but I couldn’t. Well, I did finish it, it was a struggle. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really thoroughly enjoyed this book. Rua was such a great character and I loved the mystery that surrounded her. The chemistry between her and Finn was amazing and their banter couldn’t have been better.

I liked how with this book, little by little the author filled in information about the past. It kept me gripped and I had to keep reading so that I could understand who everyone was and their histories.

I’ve struggled with historical romances that I’ve read recently because I hate how women were treated back then and in all the ones I’ve read recently, even if the FMC is strong willed and goes against society’s expectations , the love interest usually agrees with society’s views on women. What I absolutely loved about this book was that Finn didn’t agree with the old fashioned views and it made this book so much more enjoyable for me.

Overall, this was a really fun read and I highly recommend it!

3 ⭐️ Thank you Alcove Press for the ARC!

An Irish mythology-inspired romantasy set in the Gilded Age with a delicious Enemies to Lovers dynamic. A disoriented Rua wakes up in the middle of the forest in the body of someone else with no recollection of how she got there and who she is, with the exception of her real name, that is. Forced to live in the shoes of a seemingly problematic young girl, Emma Harrington, Rua struggles to conform to the expected social norms. She soon meets the mysterious Lord of Donore and gets the uncanny feeling that they’ve known each other in another life.

While the beginning was a tad slow and the ending left me wanting, I DEVOURED everything in between. I loved the banter and tension between these characters. Gonzalez also lit a desire in me to learn more about Irish Mythology. This is perfect for fans of Bridgerton and Historical Fantasy Romance.

I could not put this book down. It was romantic and the mystery kept me reading, wondering how Finn and Rua knew each other, and who they really were. I loved the Irish mythology and was surprised by the ending and the answers to the mysteries. I would absolutely read another book by Gonzalez and can't wait for her next one.

I've been following Kelsie's writing journey since 2021 and she was the first writing tiktok account I followed. I'm so proud of her for her determination through everything and to finally get to see her published book out there.

I loved Rua and Finn and the beginning of this book was rife full of questions and drama and delightful character development. I love the Gilded Age setting and the historical backdrop. This definitely felt like it leaned more on the historical elements than fantasy. For most of the book, Rua feels trapped out of time as she has to deal with pretending to be Emma and the confines of being a woman in the extremely patriarchal Gilded Age. Her borderline villianess mother who threatens to send her to the asylum if she doesn't cooperate and the catty women determined to ruin her. All while she is trying to discover who she truly is.

The romance with Finn is the highlight and I wish we could have seen more of both timelines. The pacing felt a little off in so much as the main book is a series of Bridgerton-like social events until the last 20% where the more fantastical elements take over.

I'm so happy for Kelsie and excited to see what she writes next. Thank you so much to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early review in exchange for an early copy.

Thank you Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez and Alcove Press for this early copy of The Gods Time Forgot!

I loved the setting of this book, and I was really interested in the premise of the plot. The mystery of the characters felt like a fun way to keep the plot going, and there always felt like an edge of something more as you read.

But sadly, this book wasn’t for me :( As interesting as I thought a lot of the plot points could have been, the overall pacing of everything felt off, and I had a hard time getting invested in this story. More often than not, I found myself getting second hand embarrassment from some of the interactions, and it was tough. I will say that I do think that it came together, but it was a little rough getting there.

But that’s just me! I think that this has a lot of potential to be a fantasy lover’s new favorite book 🫶🏻

BOOK: THE GODS TIME FORGOT
AUTHOR: KELSIE SHERIDAN GONZALEZ
PUB DATE: APRIL 2025
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This book was wonderful until I reached the ending. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. Everything else? Perfect! But, I don't regret reading, it was a very good book.
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This book started on a very nice note, we have our FMC, Emma, not Emma who lost her memories and the MMC, rich lord trying to secure his place in the American high society. The MCs both meet at parties where Emma is an outcast while Finn is the guy everyone wants on their arms. In between the book are elements of Emma's lost memories.
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I liked the amazing storyline and the pace of the book. Don't even get me started on the chemistry sbd romance between the MCs even though the book is closed door. I kept turning the pages to see who was going to end up with Finn, Emma, the FMC or Annette, who was going to secure his place in New York so he could achieve all the good things he wanted to do.
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A few chapters in, Emma discovered that she was not really Emma, but another person, Rua. But, she must keep up with the charade if she won't be sent to an asylum. But, she worked hard to find out who she truly was through books of Irish mythology. Anyway, she was an outcast in the society and chafed at the rules of society.
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Finn finds himself drawn to someone totally different from his needs, Rua. He keeps thinking about her and even dreams about a past life with her. Finn was a nice MMC, a good man who tried to help others even though it was not seen as the 'thing' in society then. If there was something I wanted with him, I wanted more knowledge about his past. I don't know much about him except he landed in New York and partnered with the creme de LA creme of the society. I don't know about his life in Ireland, his parents, his title, and stuff.
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The MCs both had amazing chemistry, and I liked them until I didn't. I liked the pace of the book, too. It was perfect, I read in a day because I was really curious about who was who was who and what was what. It's a very good book. And I was disappointed at the ending. It was vague and had some morally grey elements that I didn't like. I was aboutvto give if five stars when I read the last chapter.
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However, it was worth it, and I liked reading it. I'd recommend it.
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This book seemed to have a good premise but ultimately did not deliver. In my opinion, too much time was spent trying to blend into the high society world, and the same was true of trying to build tension/ longing with the characters. There was so much more to explore with the Irish Legends and the main characters' history, Emma and Mara's history .... I could go on. This was very surface-level and rarely had anything to do with the couple's real story. Additionally, the ending was unsatisfying, which left many holes and questions for the sake of wrapping the book up with a happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Gods Time Forgot on April 8, 2025.

While the beginning of this book hooked me right away, I have to say that the rest was sadly disappointing. I knew The Gods Time Forgot took place in a historical period, and I knew that would play into the story and setting, but I didn't expect it to comprise so much of the book. I love a good historical fiction story when the mood is right, but I expected far more fantasy than what I received.

It felt like the magic was thrown in at the beginning and end just to wrap things up when I would've appreciated a more drawn-out approach through the middle of the story. The romance certainly helped keep things moving, and I did enjoy the banter and relationship between Finn and Rua. But when a story is pitched as romantasy, I definitely expect the magic to have more of an impact. This felt more like magical realism adjacent.

Do I think the premise has potential? Absolutely. But I fear the execution was a miss for me.

A woman wakes up in the body of someone else and finds herself trapped in 1870 forced to act and follow societies rules all the while scrambling to discover what happened to her and who she truly is.... all the while memories of a past lover and betrayal haunt her... and it doesn't help that a lord who looks eerily like her past lover is also here. Rua wakes up in the body of Emma, Emma the daughter of a lord who had disappeared for two days and a man was also killed searching for her. Rua has no idea who she is and why she is in Emma's body but she does not like it, nor does she like any of the societal rules that 1870s has on woman. Rua's inability to adjust has Emma's parents threatening to put her in an insane asylum and Rua has to learn what happened to Emma and to her if she wants to escape and go back to her own body... all the while she is getting flashes of her past life and clues of what has happened. Then the handsome Lord of Donore shows up and Rua feels connected to him in ways she can never explain... because he looks exactly like her lover.. the very one she killed. Lord of Donore or rather Finn is just trying to marry a wife who will help him find connections and make him rich... yet the moment he meets Emma/Rua he feels a connection to her he can't deny, a connection he knows that if he gives into will destroy all his plans and lead to a life of chaos... yet he can't resist. The more time he spends with Rua the more he begins getting glimpses of a past life with her that he can't explain... yet with societies rules closing in on Rua and pressure being put on Finn to marry someone else... can they find a way to be together or are greater forces at play and the truth of who Rua truly is only unravel everything? This was definitely an interesting book, I love the whole "woke up in someone else's body" and must unravel the mystery. The pacing was a bit off for me because the ending was literally so abrupt and just there, I truly wish there was like 5 more chapters to explain more or to at least give a bit more. The ending just feels like a door slamming in my face and I'm just sitting here thinking "is that it?" as an avid k-novel/manwhua reader, I love transmigration novels or novels where people wake up in other people's bodies and must adjust to the world. Yet Rua was a bit harder to like because she really did not find a way to fit in at all, like come on girl work it out, fake it, she really just sped run the worst ways to get everyone on her case and be sent to the asylum. I was hoping she would be a bit more resourceful and a bit craftier considering she was said to be a goddess who schemed... but like it really was just a : welp here I am situation. All in all it was an interesting read and I liked the romance, thought I was hoping for a bit more in both the romance department, in the character growth department, and in the end of the novel department. All that is to say, if you like fantasy mysteries, absolutely pick this one up.

*Thanks Netgalley and Alcove Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

So, I have very complicated feelings about this book. It was very compelling, engagingly written, and I really did want to know how it was going to play out. The dynamic between Rua and Finn was interesting and a lot of fun, I thought they had good chemistry and there were really interesting scenes between the two of them.

But, ultimately, I don’t think I liked the book that much. As a whole I found it quite confusing; the way the plot is set up is quite muddled and it was very hard to follow in the first few chapters exactly what was going on. I did understand why some of the book had to be like this, but I felt like too much was being obscured from the reader and it made it very hard to follow.

I also thought the plot didn’t quite work. I felt like the book couldn’t quite decide what genre it wanted to be, and the fantasy element didn’t work as well with the Gilded Age setting as I thought it would. The historical aspect needed tightening, I noticed a few inaccuracies that were distracting, which was a shame as I thought the social climbing aspect of the book was (to a point) entertaining. Ultimately, though, that plotline became a bit repetitive and the characters, particularly the villainous ones, were way too cartoonish and over-the-top. I’m not quite sure why they were so keen to draw attention to the scandals of the Harrington family when it was established early on this would be a bad thing for them, too, and there were a lot of very uncomfortable scenes that felt very similar in tone and content.

The fantasy plotline was very interesting and had some good ideas but I think it felt like an afterthought for much of the book. It didn’t really come into play properly until right near the end. The ending, also, was incredibly blunt and didn’t feel very satisfying.

It’s a shame, because I really wanted to like this book. I just didn’t think it was very cohesive and I considered DNFing a few times over the course of it. I kept on going because the writing is very engaging and entertaining, and I thought the main characters, Rua and Finn, were well-drawn and likable, especially in comparison to everyone else. Their romance had some really nice moments and I liked their chemistry. I just thought the book as a whole needed more work. Still, I can see it working for a lot of people – it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Death, murder, serious injuries, fire, bullying, controlling behaviour, threat of institutionalisation in an asylum, amnesia, blood, threat of sexual violence, public humiliation, on-page sexual content.